


What Could Have Been

by just_jilyy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Birthday, F/M, If They Lived, What Could Have Been
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 16:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19023346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_jilyy/pseuds/just_jilyy
Summary: A glimpse of Harry Potter's eleventh birthday if his parents had lived.





	What Could Have Been

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little drabble because I'm re-reading the Harry Potter series and get seriously sad anytime Lily and James are mentioned because they could've had so much, if only they had lived.

On the morning of his eleventh birthday, Harry James Potter woke up to someone shaking him while whispering in his ear. “Harry. Harry, wake up. C’mon…wake up.”

“Wha-?” Harry mumbled, rubbing his eyes blearily.

“Here you go. C’mon now.” Harry took hold of the specs that were being thrust into his hands and slid them onto his face.

With his specs firmly in place, Harry was able to see that it was his dad who had been shaking him out of sleep. James Potter was perched on the side of his son’s bed—still dressed in his pyjamas, his black hair more unruly than usual—with a huge grin on his face.

“Dad-“ Harry began, though he broke off with a gaping yawn.

“Happy Birthday Harry!” James blurted, unable to control his excitement any longer as he grinned down at his son.

“Merlin James, you’d think you were the one turning eleven today.” Harry turned his head to see his mum standing in the doorway, his three year old sister propped on her hip. Lily Potter smiled softly at her son, her face bright with happiness as she took in the sight of her husband bouncing lightly on Harry’s bed while Harry was still attempting to fully wake up. “Happy Birthday sweetheart.”

“Thanks mum, dad.” Harry said happily. Now that he was fully awake he felt the stir of excitement in his stomach—it was his eleventh birthday. Ordinarily, turning eleven would not be such a fuss; however, Harry was not an ordinary boy.

He kicked his feet out of his blankets and shot out of bed, stopping in front of his dad. “Is it here yet?”

James grinned at his son’s excited tone and stood, ruffling Harry’s hair. “Why don’t you run downstairs and check?”

Harry spun and bolted for the door only to be stopped by his mum, who blocked his path, laughing. “Turning eleven doesn’t make you exempt from hugging your mum, you know.”

Groaning dramatically—but not meaning it in the slightest—Harry stepped into Lily’s embrace and let her hug him, savoring the warmth and comfort of her hug. He then turned to the toddler resting on Lily’s hip and kissed her cheek. “Morning Minnie.”

Harry’s baby sister laughed delightedly when Harry pulled away and mussed the ginger curls on her head. “ Arry birfday. Appy appy!”

“That’s right, little love. It’s Harry’s birthday!” James said as he joined them in the doorway. “Should we follow him to the kitchen and see if he’s gotten anything special?”

Minnie clapped her hands, giggling and nodding.

“Go on then Harry.” Lily urged.

Harry needed no further prodding to propel himself down the stairs at full speed. He skipped the last three steps, choosing instead to grab the banister and swing himself around the corner into the kitchen.

“Happy birthday Harry!” The cacophony of voices chimed as he entered the room.

A brilliant smile lit Harry’s face as he took in the crowd around the table. There was Sirius, his godfather, with his motorcycle boot clad feet propped up on the tabletop, his hands folded behind his head and a smirk on his face. Beside him sat his Uncle Remus, who shoved Sirius’s boot out of his face upon Harry’s entrance. On the other side of Remus sat his mum’s friend Mary—who was closer to a sister to Lily than Harry’s actual Aunt Petunia was—and her boyfriend Benjy Fenwick.

And there, on top of the table, was a small stack of gifts—one of them even looked like an actual broomstick, not just a practice one for kids, either—but above all else is was a small, cream colored envelope with grand, sloping writing in green ink that captured his attention.

Harry looked back at his parents, who were hanging back in the doorway. Minnie had long since climbed down from Lily’s arms and crawled into Sirius’s lap and was trying to reach the stack of gifts. James’s arm rested lightly around Lily’s waist and she rested her head on his shoulder as they both looked on at their son and all of their loved ones that had gathered to celebrate.

Harry knew that he ought to be grossed out by his parents always openly displaying how much they loved each other—he couldn’t begin to count the number of times he had caught them kissing when they thought he was otherwise occupied—but he wasn’t. He knew that his parents love for each other, and their love for both Minnie and him, was something important—so important, probably, that nothing could ever defeat it.

His mum nodded at him while his dad looked on, grinning like a child. Harry grinned back and turned to face the table again.

“Go on then, Harry, what’re you waiting for?” Sirius asked, tipping his head towards the letter.

Remus picked up the envelope and passed it to Harry. “Here you go then.”

Harry took a deep breath and broke the seal, shaking the parchment out into his hands. Harry unfolded the letter as his family looked on, the smile on his face growing even wider as he read…

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you of your acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...


End file.
